We expect about 50 smaller boats from almost 30 brands including Canelli, Cormate, Hanse, Rand, Regal, Sea Ray, Nautic and White Shark. In addition, I’m happy to confirm that the brokerage section was fully booked as of the second week of August, which was at least three weeks earlier than for the past two editions.

Situated beside the sailing area in Port Canto, the brokerage and toys area will present interesting content including a lot of innovative water toys ashore and 48 brokerage yachts in the water including at least 10 big sailing boats.

Will Vieux Port again host a dedicated zone for electric boats?

Yes. Like last year, there will be a zone for electric and hybrid models, where we’re expecting around a dozen boats. This area is for smaller electric boats. However, over the past few years, there has been a steady increase in this sector, so you’ll see more and more shipyards presenting a hybrid or electric boat elsewhere at this year’s show.

Ernoult at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival

Examples include four Eco models from Sunreef Yachts, comprising one 80ft powercat and three sailing models from 60-80ft, as well as a Silent 60, which is also fully powered by solar energy, while new Norwegian builder Ripple Boats will present a long-range electric boat.

What else can visitors look forward to at this year’s show?

Visitors will find lots of amazing boats, new innovative vessels and products with high design specs, as well as new players in the industry, so start-ups as well as major companies.

A couple of interesting boats to look out for include Bluegame’s hydrogen-powered chase boat being developed for America’s Cup entry American Magic, which is being presented at the show on land.

Ernoult with David Lisnard (on left), the Mayor of Cannes

Meanwhile, Prestige is staging a world premiere of a new multihull motor yacht for a second successive year in the water at Vieux Port. Who would have expected these major brands and others to be so innovative?

Are you happy with the overall format introduced in 2019, to keep motor yachts in Vieux Port and move sailing boats to Port Canto by the brokerage and toys area?

Moving 120 sailing boats to Port Canto was discussed with our main clients, for both big and small boats, sailing and power. The product segmentation and logic for our visitors as well as the technical constraints sail boats required, such as deep water in the port, also influenced the final decision.

Four years on, we’re happy that this was a very good choice. Port Canto only contains a quarter of the overall total of boats exhibited at the show, but it presents specific segments and only big boats.

Port Canto hosts the popular sailing area, as well as the brokerage superyachts and toys

We’re happy with the overall format for both the Vieux Port and Port Canto because of the quality and suitability of the content presented on each side, with visitors going from one to the other except for those who know exactly what they want to see and not see.

If we need to change again in the future, it’s possible, but what’s important is to maintain the quality and logic in the product segmentation presented, so visitors will still be curious and satisfied to go to the other area to see the variety they expect.

Are you happy with the overall attendance, which has been quite consistent for the last few years?

I’m not bothered by number consistency. What’s important is to increase audience quality, which is what we do. Quantity is organic and constantly increasing, so it’s not so important. In addition, we don’t want to have a show that’s too busy, so 50,000-60,000 quality visitors is a good figure for me.

The main entrance to Vieux Port, the show’s largest venue and home to most motor yachts

What makes it Europe’s most important in-water boat show and for world premieres?

The Cannes Yachting Festival opens the nautical season. It’s an unmissable boat show. All the worldwide players in this industry who want to present their previews must attend. Our exhibitors have the guarantee of both meeting good-quality visitors – so buyers for their products – and journalists from all over the world who will promote their boat debuts worldwide.

The city of Cannes is clearly a highlight of the show as well, with its famous ‘Old Town’, five-star hotels, the Croisette and luxury boutiques. These represent many advantages. And not forgetting the Bay of Cannes, the Vieux Port and Port Canto, which provide an extraordinary setting for welcoming more than 700 boats.

www.cannesyachtingfestival.com

The post Sylvie Ernoult: Tweaking a winning formula appeared first on Yacht Style.

After a marvellous experience at Baglietto, my father and some of his colleagues and friends decided to buy and create a shipyard. It was named Tankoa, which means ‘scorpion’ in Genoese dialect. The first yacht already had an owner, who was a family friend, an amazing person who unfortunately passed away.

Then the economic crisis began, which made it hard for Tankoa to survive. At the time, my brother Guido (Jr) was President. He and Euro Contenti (CEO) and Edoardo Ratto (General Manager) believed in Tankoa’s future. My father believed in them and has always been a silent supporter. The team managed to sell the first three yachts and since then we’ve proven to be the shipyard we are today.

A 2023 delivery, Grey is the fifth S501 and will debut at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show

I began as President in 2018 and for me it was a dream come true after growing up with my father and his passion for the ocean and yachts. My brother had different plans and decided to change work, but now we’re finally together and our aim is to maintain Tankoa as a boutique Italian shipyard.

Can you recall some childhood highlights of yachting with your family and whether any of the designs of your family boats have influenced designs at Tankoa?

Since I was a kid, I had the privilege of spending my summers on board my father’s yachts in the Mediterranean. His yachts gradually grew in size, but the common features were clean, linear exterior design and the importance of the furniture.

The Tankoa shipyard is by the Cristoforo Colombo Airport outside Genoa

Tankoa has since grown with Francesco Paszkowski, who has designed many of our yachts. I think he has always kept this in mind, being able to transfer with his hand a timeless feeling and clean lines.

Can you tell us about the Tankoa shipyard beside Genoa Airport, which is only 1-2 hours’ drive from the likes of Milan, Monaco and Nice?

Tankoa is situated in a strategic position, for us, workers and clients, close to Cote d’Azur and the expert workforce in Tuscany and Liguria.

Facilities include two 90m sheds, a 250m-long dock and a submersible 4,000-tonne-capacity dry dock

Our shipyard has two 90m-long, 18m-high concrete sheds plus three smaller sheds for the assembly of the superstructure and the completion of construction. We call building the hull and superstructure ‘dirty work’, so we’ve always preferred this being done in an external facility in La Spezia.

How did Tankoa’s first yacht, the 69m Suerte that debuted at the 2015 Monaco Yacht Show (MYS), help establish the shipyard’s reputation in a crowded superyacht market?

Suerte was our first significant milestone. The small ‘yachting world’ had doubts we would complete our first yacht, but thanks to the passion and knowledge of all our team, we managed to overcome a rough start and prove that Tankoa wasn’t only an idea but a new competitor in the superyacht market.

Tankoa’s 72m Solo (above) was launched in 2018, three years after the 69m Suerte

The owner decided to make it a commercial yacht. Luckily, or let’s say unfortunately, a client who chartered it for several months in the summer of 2016 liked it so much that they decided to buy Suerte and keep it in their private harbour.

How did the 72m Solo, which debuted at MYS in 2018, differ from Suerte and further develop Tankoa’s profile in the market?

Solo was our third delivery and remains a great source of pride for our shipyard due to its avant-garde technology, which led to it winning several awards and prizes including one delivered directly by Prince Albert of Monaco. It was further proof that Tankoa was able to build great superyachts. Not only did people recognise the build quality but the design was outstanding.

Francesco Paszkowski designed Suerte, Solo, the S501 series and the upcoming T580

How important is the Francesco Paszkowski-designed, all-aluminium S501 series to Tankoa?

In 2017, we launched Vertigo and two years later we delivered Bintador, our first hybrid propulsion yacht. After that, we launched Olokun in 2020, last year we delivered Kinda, our second hybrid yacht,  and this year we handed over Grey. The S501 series has consolidated Tankoa’s presence in the market.

The five yachts to date all have similar exterior designs, but have different colours, while all the internal features and design have been customised to meet the tastes and needs of the clients. The sixth sister is under construction and incorporates several small upgrades, as we always want to deliver yachts with the best-possible features.

The black-hulled Olokun is the third S501

What can you tell us about other upcoming models?

Our real strength is having Italian designers representing Tankoa’s yachts. As well as the S501 series and the upcoming T580 (58m) by Francesco, I can’t wait to deliver the first T450 (45m) by Giorgio Cassetta and the first T55 Sportiva (55m) by Luca Dini. The 52m Vitruvius is a project a client brought to us, and I’m honoured we’re now producing it.

We also hope to realise designs including Alberto Mancini’s T760 Apache (76m), Hot Lab’s T500 Tethys (50m) and Enrico Gobbi’s T680 Fenice (68m). Every single yacht we design and produce has characteristics we’re proud of. I can’t wait to have a wide range of Tankoa boats navigating the world. (For recent sales news, click here.)

Two T450s by Giorgio Cassetta are in build

How closely do you work with your father and your brother, now Tankoa’s Marketing & Communications Manager?

What I like about Tankoa is that we consider it a family shipyard, not only because our father is a silent shareholder with a passion for yachts but also because my brother Guido and I work together and support each other.

Two units of the T55 Sportiva by Luca Dini are in build

Having different roles doesn’t change the way we feel about Tankoa. However, it’s not only because we’re siblings that there’s a connection; the whole atmosphere inside the offices has a family feeling. There’s a great respect and esteem for every single employee.

How has Vincenzo Poerio helped Tankoa since he was appointed joint-CEO (with Euro Contenti) in February 2020?

Since Vincenzo joined our family, not only have we had an internal change and growth but the market has perceived a difference. To me, he is a master, and we can all learn something from him. Over the last three years, he helped Tankoa grow faster than ever before. We’ve nearly doubled our workforce and tripled our yacht production.

Vincenzo Poerio, CEO, Tankoa

This was our objective, although not to grow too much that we lose the direct contact and relationship we have with our clients. What I most like about Vincenzo is that he truly believes in the next generation, giving younger employees the space and education that they need to be able to grow and evolve in their career. He’s able to transfer his passion to whoever he meets and works with.

What else should readers know about Tankoa?

I’d like to emphasise that Tankoa is a boutique shipyard with strong Italian roots. Producing custom yachts is our way of making our clients’ dreams come true, so our main priority is to maintain high quality with a competitive price.

Alberto Mancini’s 76m Apache design

We believe in future generations, which is why our approach is always more sustainable, both in our facility and on our yachts to safeguard the earth and protect the ocean so we can continue to navigate and explore our seas.

www.tankoa.it

EVA ORSI

President of Tankoa since September 2018, Eva succeeded her brother Guido Jr at the helm of the Genoa-based shipyard, which was founded in 2007 by her father, industrialist Guido Orsi, who formerly owned Baglietto. After studying Economics of Art, Culture and Communication at Bocconi University in Milan, Eva earned a master’s degree from IULM University in Milan, specialising in the promotion of Made in Italy. After stints with fashion brands Loro Piana and Ralph Lauren in 2007, she worked in the design and art sectors for a decade before joining the family business.

The post Eva Orsi “making dreams come true” at Tankoa appeared first on Yacht Style.

It was my first trip to the region since the Covid era. My last time was in December 2019, when I met the company’s shareholders (Lai Sun Group) in Hong Kong, and we made plans for the beginning of 2020. However, once Covid began, we had to cancel all the plans!

This time, I found a great atmosphere in Hong Kong, even though it only fully opened earlier this year. We had the opportunity to meet some of our clients, who were all making plans and whose businesses were doing much better. Many yachts being built in Europe are for Asian clients, with some projects starting four, five, or even six years ago. This long-term commitment still generates a sense of excitement.

However, I encountered some problems that remained the same as when I last visited, such as the limited availability of superyacht berths in marinas. Most of them are relatively small and lack dedicated space for superyachts and megayachts. It seems that the superyacht sector is resuming from where it left off 3½ years ago, before Covid.

In Singapore, I felt that the recovery from Covid was slightly more advanced, and I believe it’s enjoying a very exciting period. It has always been an important financial hub and is an increasingly important hub in our industry after a lot of family offices from Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan opened branches there, especially in 2022. Also, Singapore hosting a boat show in April, for the first time since 2019, was a very good sign.

In general, I think there’s a lot of wealth moving from North Asia to Southeast Asia, not only to Singapore but also Thailand and Indonesia. It seems there’s quite a commitment to developing the superyacht industry in these countries, despite the need to address certain challenges including regulations, infrastructure and so on.

How has Camper and Nicholsons developed its presence in Asia?

We started Camper & Nicholsons Asia in 2017 by opening an office in Hong Kong. Earlier this year, we opened an office in Singapore as part of our plan to expand our presence in Asia. We have a strong belief in the growth potential of Asia, even though there has been a delay due to Covid. We believe there’s an opportune time for everything, and the resurgence could be just around the corner.

This is the reason we decided to open a second office, where we will improve our sales of brokerage yachts and new builds. There are more clients in Asia building new superyachts than we can guess.

Dr. Peter Lam, Chairman of Lai Sun Group, with Casani

Camper & Nicholsons is one of the very few global superyacht brokerage houses with a stable organisation in Asia, meaning the business is 100 per cent controlled by the company and totally integrated into our international operations. We don’t believe in the franchising and licensing model.

One of our main assets is our client database, the strong relationship with our clients, therefore we maintain strict control over those aspects. Whenever we decide to open an office, in any part of the world, it’s under Camper and Nicholsons’ control. As a result, our Hong Kong office is fully controlled by Camper and Nicholsons, and the same applies to our Singapore office.

This is our business model, which is different from some competitors who have a relationship with established local companies and license their brands. Our approach leans towards prioritising quality over quantity.

Client sales and purchase of pre-owned yachts have been the core business of brokerage houses, but the new build sector seems to be growing, with companies even partnering with shipyards on new designs and concepts. Do you see this sector increasing?

Yes. Even though superyacht builders have their own divisions that work directly with clients, over 50 per cent of new builds are sold through organisations like ours. The reason a client decides to use a brokerage company like Camper & Nicholsons for new construction is quite simple: the added value we can bring.

The new-build process is quite complicated and can depend on the size and type of the yacht. There’s usually a long pre-contractual phase where we work closely with a client – and/or their representative – to understand their lifestyle and what kind of yacht they want. We need to understand what they like, don’t like, crew requirements and so on.

After that, we can proceed with the creation of a design package tender. Following that, we collaborate with the designer to initiate the shipyard tendering process. In the meantime, we’re working with our engineers to develop the first part of the specification of the yacht and confirm flag, classification society and so on.

After the shipyard signs the contract, the production phase starts, during which we closely monitor the project on an almost daily basis, observing quality standards and ensuring everything is built according to specifications.

The final part of the production starts when the boat is in the water and this is probably one of the most important phases, with the sea trials and testing of the equipment and machinery installations before delivery. Strict control of processes reduces the potential for problems and increases the owners’ enjoyment of the yacht from handover.

The management of the yacht also starts with the delivery phase and includes crew training, compliance, accounting, regulations and so on. The captain is typically involved earlier in the process, before the rest of the crew begin working.

Not all yachts are for charter but if the owner wishes to charter the yacht, we can welcome the yacht into our fleet, market and promote it. If yachts have a skilled and efficient crew on board, they are quite productive in generating charter revenue, which can partially offset running costs. Of course, this depends on the periods and amount of time the owner makes the yacht available for charter.

We typically work with an owner from the very beginning of a project, whether it’s a new build or a second-hand yacht. Our job is to ensure the owner doesn’t have to spend any more time on the project than they want to. We’re a one-stop shop providing luxury services for superyachts.

Have sailing yachts increased in appeal during the Covid era?

Overall, sales of all types of superyachts during Covid increased compared to previous years and we’ve traditionally been more focused on sailing yachts than most other brokerage houses. More than motor yachts, sailing yachts represent the idea of freedom and healthy living, and these factors became more valued during the Covid era.

Looking ahead, I anticipate a stabilisation of sales, with sailing yachts typically representing less than 10 per cent of superyachts. They account for close to 10 per cent of our sales.

Has the increased popularity of sustainable propulsion and energy made sailing yachts more relevant now?

Pollution and consumption are more relevant now than ever before. There is a growing shift in attention towards these issues, although their significance in the yachting industry is not yet as important compared to other industries. Yachting lags behind the automotive industry, for example, although this is somewhat understandable due to the nature of the industries.

The focus on reducing emissions started years ago, before the discussion of using electric-hybrid or hydrogen propulsion, when people were looking for long-range yachts that were focused more on lower consumption than speed. Long term, I believe more in the future of hydrogen propulsion than electric or hybrid-electric.

Octopus, the 126m Lürssen shown above in Antarctica, is one of the charter-managed yachts offered by Camper & Nicholsons

What do you see as the main challenges for the superyacht industry in the coming years?

Firstly, regulations. There isn’t a unified European yacht registry, for example, so each country still maintains its own rules. If you think about chartering yachts across Europe or moving from one country to another, you may face different regulations. The lack of consistency poses both challenges and opportunities in terms of yacht operations.

Cost of components is another challenge. In the last couple of years, the price of steel almost doubled. Many yachts under construction and with signed contracts were sometimes charged for the extra costs, which nobody could have foreseen, and this generated a lot of issues and delays in delivering yachts.

Price increases applied to many components including electrical components and batteries, which had an incredible increase. We hope this side of the business will stabilise.

Over the next two to three years, shipyards will confront a challenge related to timely delivery. Most shipyards have an incredible order book, but there’s a lack of manpower, workforce and sub-contractors, so many of the delays in delivery come from this.

How do see the profile of superyacht owners changing, such as shifting or expanding from inherited family wealth to entrepreneurs and newly created fortunes?

It has changed a lot and will continue to change with the evolution of generations. Many of our clients come from the traditional wealthy background, although increasingly we deal with representatives, family offices, banks and other financial institutions, rather than directly with clients.

This changes the type of relationship. When you talk directly with the owner, there are some emotional elements that make the relationship special, unique, as each client is different. But when you talk to a representative, the relationship is more technical, based on business. This is already a great change.

Casani presents a book honouring 240 years of Camper & Nicholsons to Bernard d’Alessandri, General Secretary of Yacht Club de Monaco

In addition to this, there’s a massive increase in the use of technology and I’m talking just in the last 10 years, not decades or a century ago! Our own activities have also changed. Today, when we approach a potential buyer, we’re using technology that wasn’t available before.

It presents an opportunity for us, as leveraging our technology enables us to provide clients with more precise and efficient information, particularly for prototypes.

The new generation is making us stay on top of technology. For example, more people are booking charters online, whereas in the past a client called and discussed the arrangement in person, so you had a relationship. Today, our advanced online system enables our clients to accomplish much, if not most, of the process remotely. Technology is increasingly being used as a tool, so we’ve established ourselves as leaders in this field.

In addition to the Hong Kong office, you opened offices in the UAE last year and Singapore this year, and recently appointed Julien Solari as Asia Chief Commercial Officer. So, how is the future looking for Camper & Nicholsons in this region?

These are all part of our strategy with our shareholders. We’re going to expand to key areas where the company was not physically present, although this does not imply that we were not actively involved in those markets, as we certainly were. On a side note, we’ve also recently opened an office in Greece, which has been the destination for 25 per cent of our charters this year.

Our expansion strategy also follows a flow of wealth, such as from North Asia to Southeast Asia and from Europe to the Middle East. Our Dubai office doesn’t only serve UAE but the whole Middle East, where Saudi Arabia is investing hugely in internal infrastructure and even directly in the yacht building industry.

Camper & Nicholsons has always been and will continue to be a trendsetter, so we’re always considering areas of growth and looking to invest in potential.

www.camperandnicholsons.com

PAOLO CASANI 

Casani joined Camper & Nicholsons as CEO in 2015, following an impressive career in the fashion and yachting sectors. Having established himself in executive roles with designer fashion brands such as Armani, Valentino, Calvin Klein and Ferragamo, the Italian drew upon this expertise to fuse the luxury goods sector with the luxury yachting industry by joining Azimut- Benetti Group in 2008, becoming CEO of Azimut in 2010. Five years later, he joined Camper & Nicholsons, which celebrated its 240th anniversary in 2022, having been founded in 1782 in Gosport, England.

The post Camper & Nicholsons renews Asia push appeared first on Yacht Style.

Funnily enough, I grew up on Lake Starnberg, Torqeedo’s home lake outside Munich. As a kid, I was always on the water, rowing and sailing as often as I could, so I was a first-hand witness to the development of this hotbed of electric boating and the growth of Torqeedo as a company.

Like many young people, I was fascinated with how things work, especially cars. I was always taking things apart and putting them back together. While it was clear engineering might be my future career, I was also really fascinated by how ‘making things’ works as a business.

I was a serial entrepreneur throughout my studies, and further pursued a degree in engineering economics at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (2003-07). This turned out to be a key combination: to be an engineer and understand the technology behind highly technical products, while also leveraging that knowledge to run a strong, healthy business.

Later experiences in the automotive industry and building up Webasto’s battery-systems and charging-solutions business units also informed my development as a leader in innovative drivetrain development, and electrification and alternative-fuels strategy.

Nimbus offers E-power versions of its 305 Drophead and 305 Coupé

All the professional experience, consulting jobs and education prepared me for leading Torqeedo, but the heart of it is that I love being on the water. That strong connection to nature and the waters I grew up on was, and is, important. I want everyone to experience that connection.

When you started as CEO of Torqeedo last October, what were your brief and key targets for the coming years?

Any new CEO job comes with financial and performance targets, as did this one, but my key targets are differently defined. Personally, I want to feel connected to where I’m investing my time and energy. I need to believe in what I’m doing, to be a part of something worth being proud of. I think most people need that.

My first priority is to build a company that acts with respect for its employees, its customers, its partners and the planet. A place where everyone is excited, engaged and happy to contribute. If you manage this, you’re well on your way to meeting the financial and performance goals.

At the same time, I’m drawn to companies where there are challenges. There’s huge potential in the electrification of the marine industry and the Torqeedo brand is strong and well respected. Customer interest is skyrocketing, and the eyes of the industry are on this company as we build the future of marine mobility.

Nimbus E-power models use Torqeedo’s Deep Blue 50i 1400 drive with BMW i3 42.2kWh batteries

Essentially, Torqeedo created and is now riding a massive sea change and my job is to make sure we keep our heads above water. These are “good problems to have”.

Over the last year, we’ve invested in our manufacturing infrastructure and optimised our R&D processes. Our new structure of two business groups will ensure we have the proper products and services to continue to connect with today’s and tomorrow’s boaters.

It’s my task, together with our leadership team, to leverage our assets – a proven product portfolio, partnerships, almost two decades of experience, and technical excellence – to become a true series manufacturer of complete, customisable systems and services that will continue to lead boating into its emission-free future.

How is the company structured in terms of headquarters and regional offices?

Torqeedo recently moved into our new headquarters in the Weßling municipality west of Munich, consolidated three manufacturing locations into that new headquarters, and invested in improving our production capabilities and internal processes. We’ve implemented lean manufacturing strategies and are ready to meet the growing demand for sustainable boating solutions.

The electric Delphia 11 has a Torqeedo Deep Blue 50i 1400 inboard

As well as maintaining two regional headquarters in the USA and Thailand, Torqeedo has a worldwide sales and service network with partners in more than 100 countries. From our Asia-Pacific headquarters in Bangkok, we see strong growth markets for electrification, especially in luxury yachting, in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the UAE.

Torqeedo produced its 200,000th motor earlier this year, in the same week the company celebrated its 18th anniversary. The company founders were confident demand for electric boat propulsion would increase due to growth of population and middle classes, limited oil reserves and efforts to limit global warming. Are these reasons still as relevant today?

The key drivers for electric mobility on land and water are the same as they were when Torqeedo was created. Electric boating is clean, quiet and easy to use – for many people, it’s just a nicer way to boat.

Electric boating enables closer connections between boaters and nature, and boaters and their friends and families. Concurrently, we’re failing to adequately address our warming climate. Our cities continue to suffer from air and water pollution while becoming increasingly crowded.

Electrification is the most basic and obvious ‘tool in the toolbox’ for creating a greener, healthier future for our communities and the world. The policy is divided into two parts: make power production as environmentally friendly as possible by using renewable energy, and then electrify everything possible.

Frauscher’s 740 Mirage Air uses two 100kW Deep Blue inboards

For example, energy production in Southeast Asia currently relies heavily on fossil fuels, with renewables making up about 17 per cent of the total energy mix.

The region is one of the most at-risk from climate change yet the tropics are obviously ripe for solar-energy production. Over the next two years, ASEAN has set a goal of raising the renewables ratio to 23 per cent, and most countries have proposed strategies for making their grids cleaner, with most aiming to reach net zero by 2050.

Electrification of transportation has taken on a sense of urgency in many governments in Asia, as they strive to position themselves as EV (electric vehicles) manufacturing hubs and attract ‘clean economy jobs’ by offering tax breaks and incentives to buyers of electric cars, as well as manufacturers, and investing in charging infrastructure.

The Ocean Explorer 72 offers Torqeedo’s Deep Blue Hybrid system

Currently, EV adoption for four-wheel vehicles in Southeast Asia lags behind Europe, China and the US, but we see that changing. When you can buy a Tesla for the same price as a Camry, as you now can in Thailand, you can expect rapid adoption. And as more people experience driving electric, they want the same experience on the water.

For us, creating products that allow people to have a closer, more authentically enjoyable experience in nature and on the water is just as important as creating climate-friendly products, which we see as the bare minimum task of a company that hopes to be selling products in the coming decades.

But the dream of Torqeedo lies in making boating better in every way: cleaner, safer, easier, quieter and more luxurious. Choosing an electric boat doesn’t have to mean making compromises.

Of its first 200,000 electric motors, Torqeedo produced 100,000 in the last three years. What are the reasons behind this exponential growth?

We were the first to market with many of the original products for emission-free water transportation, and the institutional knowledge created within this company since 2005 is unrivalled in the industry.

Torqeedo’s Deep Blue 100i 2500rpm inboard

Of course, the Covid pandemic brought many new boaters to the water in many markets, as people sought ways to recreate outdoors. The industry was enjoying record order books, overcoming supply chain issues and generalised economic uncertainty.

But the factor that has contributed the most to our recent growth is the strength of the partnerships we’ve built. Torqeedo has partners in over 100 countries around the world, a global, highly professional sales and service network, and is the electrification partner for some of the world’s biggest boat brands and equipment manufacturers. The industry trusts Torqeedo. Boaters trust Torqeedo.

Yacht Style has featured Torqeedo’s collaborations with yacht builders like Beneteau (sailing monohulls), Excess, Ocean Explorer (sailing catamarans), Nimbus, Frauscher, Delphia (motor boats), Highfield and Zodiac (both RIBs). How does the company cater to such a variety of boating types?

One of Torqeedo’s key assets is the array of single-source, turnkey drive systems we provide to the industry.

The Excess 15 offers Torqeedo’s Deep Blue Hybrid system

In the past year, our boatbuilder partners have announced electric boats ranging from small pontoon boats, tenders and daysailers up to Delphia’s electric lineup of inland waterway cruisers and the Swan 88, a large sailing yacht with the Deep Blue Hybrid system.

We continue to make Torqeedo’s emission-free drive systems more accessible, easier to install, and integrate an ever-expanding variety of marine products into our system architecture.

Can you outline Torqeedo’s collaboration with BMW and Tyde on The Icon, which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in May?

Tyde is interesting as it’s building more than just a luxury electric yachting experience – The Icon feels like it’s flying because it’s ultraquiet, smooth and comfortable. The avant-garde design and attention to detail, down to the sound design, are stunning.

Torqeedo developed the propulsion for The Icon in collaboration with BMW and Tyde

It’s based on a foiling platform that can be leveraged for a variety of uses, including commercial passenger ferries or tour boats. Lifting a hull up on foils greatly increases efficiency and range. The propulsion system includes twin Deep Blue 100 inboard motors and six Deep Blue batteries.

Leveraging tested, proven components and systems like Deep Blue and BMW’s batteries allow us to share the technology for electrification between land, air and water. It was a very successful project and we’re proud to be part of it.

How is Torqeedo’s production split between outboards (Ultralight, Travel, Cruise, Deep Blue), Deep Blue inboard and hybrid systems, saildrives and pod drives?

In Asia-Pacific, outboards now make up roughly 75 per cent of our sales. These are mostly Travel motors for daysailers, tenders and dinghies, as well as Cruise motors for boats up to around 10 tonnes. We also sell a lot of outboards for water taxis and small passenger ferries. Workboats tend to be heavier, so most of these systems are Deep Blue.

Beneteau’s electric version of the First 44 features two Torqeedo Cruise 12.0 pod drives

Pod drives are a great option for sub-40ft sailboats, which can even charge their own batteries while under sail. Inboard motors are mostly used by electric tenders, catamarans and big sailing boats.

So, what types of boats are best suited for Torqeedo products?

Certain types of boating are ideal for electrification. On sailboats, going electric frees up space below decks, eliminates winterisation and reduces maintenance, plus you can use your electric drive system to charge your batteries. Big or small, sailboats are a perfect platform for electrification.

If exploring rivers, lakes, bays and tributaries is more your style, repowering smaller displacement boats with an electric drive system up to 25hp-equivalent (12kW/48V) can be done yourself or at any boatyard.

Torqeedo’s Cruise 12.0 R outboard

Small outboard electric motors are perfect for dinghies and tenders. They’re super lightweight, clean and quiet, and the dinghy starts with the push of a button, not a pull cord.

If you love to fish in inland or nearshore waters, electric can work for your fishing boat, while displacement cruisers up to around 40ft could consider either a fully electric or a hybrid-electric setup with a diesel generator backup.

If power is the main issue preventing builders of larger luxury yachts from going all-electric, how and when can this be changed or overcome?

Currently, the key limiting element is the energy density of batteries. On a technical level, batteries will continue to advance, as will the infrastructure for electric boating. As a result, our offering will expand, we will enter new markets, and we will gain market share in categories where we already provide solutions.

A Highfield RIB using the Torqeedo Travel 1103

Marinas are already aware that their shore power capabilities, while adequate for overnight charge, will need to expand to accommodate fast charging. Renewable onboard energy generation, such as solar and hydrogeneration, will continue to increase in efficiency, providing considerable opportunity to extend range and improve life on board.

Torqeedo’s innovative hydrogeneration algorithm for sailing yachts optimises power generation while reducing drag. While sailing, the Excess 15 generates approximately 75 per cent of its daily hotel load consumption.

Every year, solar photovoltaics become more economical and efficient, and we’re incorporating hydrogen fuel cells into the Deep Blue system architecture.

Torqeedo’s Travel 1103 outboard

What warranty and service follow-up do you offer owners of Torqeedo engines in Asia?

The standard warranty is two years for recreational use. Torqeedo has service partners in Thailand, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, India, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar.

What else should our readers in Asia know about Torqeedo?

In partnership with our management team, Heiko Vietmeier, our CFO, and I are instituting a new strategy for the company. Torqeedo is the trusted partner of the world’s most reputable boating brands, and has one of the most loyal and passionate customer bases you can find in this industry.

To build on that, we will make Torqeedo even more customer-centric by providing more optimised products for specific market segments. Torqeedo is a powerful brand, and we are the pioneers of electric marine propulsion. We’re determined to maintain that position as we define the future.

Heiko Vietmeier (left) started as CFO a month after Bez joined as CEO

Our ambition is to put Torqeedo on every boat, to deliver joyful experiences and enable authentic connections, giving our customers a multi-sensory movement experience when on the water. We aspire to offer a barrier-free boating experience – no fuel, no noise, no odour and no anxiety. Simply the pure pleasure of being on the sea.

I want to take Torqeedo to a new level by thoroughly exploring our brand’s essential attributes: pleasure, power and respect. We will build a whole suite of boating products on that foundation, allowing people to boat in full connection with each other, nature and their values.

www.torqeedo.com

asia@torqeedo.com

FABIAN BEZ

Based in Greater Munich, Bez has been CEO of Torqeedo in since October 2022. His early career included an internship at Porsche before he spent six years as a working student at BMW Group, completing his diploma thesis in New Jersey, US. During the same period, he was founder and Managing Partner of Quanten, a digital startup. His next five years with American consultancy Kearney were split between two years in London and just over three in Munich, before he focused on electric engines during six years at automotive supplier Webasto Group, while also developing CAT (Carbon, Aluminum and Titanium) bicycles and mountain bikes. Before joining Torqeedo, he spent 3½ years as a management consultant in the fields of alternative drives and renewable energies, including 10 months with Keyou focused on hydrogen-powered engines for commercial vehicles.

The post Torqeedo CEO Fabian Bez: “We’re building the future of marine mobility” appeared first on Yacht Style.

It’s a very important market for us. Hong Kong has been the Asia-Pacific home of Groupe Beneteau since 2016 and it has been a steady market for Lagoon for a long time.

With Simpson Marine as our dealer (in Hong Kong and other markets), we’ve been selling boats to Cathay Pacific pilots, expats and increasingly to locals enjoying the boating lifestyle. Some Lagoon owners even live on their boats, in Sai Kung, Aberdeen and so on. Hong Kong is an amazing playground, as you have lots of islands to go to on the weekend with your family and friends. What’s better than a Lagoon catamaran for that.

You’ve visited Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Singapore in recent months, so which are the leading Asia-Pacific markets for Lagoon?

Currently, it’s Australia, although it often changes from year to year. Japan is strong and one of the oldest markets for us in Asia. Tetsuo Sekiguchi from First Marine is a long-time distributor of Beneteau and Lagoon, and is a legend of the industry and for Groupe Beneteau. Over the years, he has created an amazing Lagoon community there.

The first Lagoon 55 in Asia; Photo: Simpson Marine

The Philippines is also a huge market. Europa Yachts is our dealer there and we have a group of clients who are successful businessmen and pretty much all friends. They’ve been purchasing our biggest units for years now and upgrading regularly, so it’s actually a very big market for us.

Where else has Lagoon been strong in Asia?

Malaysia and Sanya in China have also been amazing places for business for us. I think Simon Theseira of Simpson Marine Malaysia even set a record one year, where he was the best Lagoon 620 salesman in the world.

There was similar demand in Sanya. If you still go to the marinas in Sanya, you have 620s lined up in marinas. Sanya slowed down a bit, mostly for political reasons, but is starting again now that Hainan is a Free Trade Port. It’s still a bit quiet in Malaysia, although Simpson Marine is still busy and we’ve been delivering Lagoons there regularly.

How do you view Lagoon’s presence in Singapore, which hosted the Southeast Asia debut of the Lagoon 55 (Review, Issue 59) at this year’s Singapore Yachting Festival, following the model’s Asia premiere in Hong Kong late last year?

It has been growing for the last five years. Before, the interest in catamarans wasn’t so big, mostly a matter of berthing, but people are realising that having a catamaran is great for going to the islands at weekends or using when you go on holiday to Indonesia or Thailand, for example.

Lagoon Sixty 7 (right) beside a 55 at the 2023 Singapore Yachting Festival

As well as the new 55, there’s a recent Sixty 7 powercat that was previously owned by a client in the Middle East, who realised he preferred sailing. So, he sold the Sixty 7 to a client in Singapore and bought a 55.

Simpson Marine resumed the Lagoon Escapade Thailand last October. How important is this event and what feedback do you get from Lagoon owners in the country?

Apart from the boat shows, these are probably the most important events for us because we’re trying to build this community around the brand. The Escapades work well. People travel all around the world with their Lagoons and when they meet another Lagoon owner, they’re happy to talk to them and share their stories and experience. They’re also very active online, exchanging tips on how to fix or repair something.

This is what we wanted to create, a community around the brand, and because owners renew their boats every few years, we want them to stay with us because they feel happy with us and part of a family. So, these events are important for this. During Escapades, we get to go sailing with them, share good times, share stories about the brand, and create a community.

Andrebe (back row) at Lagoon Escapade Thailand last October; Photo: Simpson Marine

When you talk to owners, is there anything that surprises you?

Yeah, always – they’re so proud. The pride of owning a Lagoon, you can really see it in their eyes. And they like to tell you where they’ve been and tell you the good times, the bad moments as well, when they were caught in a storm, how and what they did, and so on.

They’re proud of the memories they make on their boats. When I join the Escapades, I spend hours listening to their stories. They’re very active users.

What’s next for Lagoon Escapades in Asia?

The Lagoon Escapade Philippines was scheduled to be held in late May and was set to have the full current range of models represented, from the 42 to the Seventy 8 powercat. However, we’ve had to postpone this due to the weather, so it should be held later this year.

Lagoon Escapade Thailand 2022; Photo: Simpson Marine

The next Lagoon Escapade in Thailand is from November 3-5 and we’re also planning the first Escapade in Japan next year because we have so many Lagoons there. We’re also looking to host events in Hong Kong and Sanya.

How successful has the Lagoon 51 (Review, Issue 67) been in launching the brand’s new emphasis on sustainability?

We felt having solar panels was not enough anymore. It’s not enough to put solar panels everywhere on the boat and call yourself sustainable. We want to go further than this. So, we started from the very beginning of the process from where we get our raw materials, so now we only source wood from forests certified by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

We source natural resin for use in the construction, which is another big step in the right direction. We offer recycled fabrics for all the upholstery. We even use natural fibres, so some structural parts of the boats are made of hemp fibre. Our R&D department is actively working into increasing the percentage of sustainable materials and we’re going to take more steps with future models.

Launched in 2022, the Lagoon 51 introduced the brand’s new sustainability focus

Groupe Beneteau is working with Torqeedo (click for article) and Vision Marine on electric propulsion. This is one of the main axis of the R&D department, but we don’t want to rush things. Lagoon was the first catamaran builder to put electric engines on a catamaran, in 2006, but the solution wasn’t great at the time, so we stopped.

Now, we want to take our time to find something that will bring enough power and autonomy to be safe. Also, something affordable because today this is a six-figure option, with competitors selling this for between €150,000 and €300,000, which is too much.

Even though it’s an expensive option, are people enquiring about hybrid or electric propulsion and energy?

Everybody is, but we tell them about the current performance of the systems, the price and the fact that it’s still very new technology. It’s going to be tough to find someone in a local marina willing to repair any such system because most are not trained for it, so clients quickly come back to choosing diesel engines. There are amazing initiatives happening, but we need to wait until these are workable and proven on a production scale.

Andrebe on a Lagoon 55 at this year’s Singapore Yachting Festival

Since Excess was introduced in 2019, where in Asia-Pacific has the brand proven popular?

French Polynesia is number one, ahead of Japan, Australia and New Zealand. We have a dealer, Sail Tahiti, that has found the perfect recipe. We never sold a new Lagoon to a private owner there, although we have sold to charter companies. But when David Allouch from Sail Tahiti arrived, he offered Excess models to anyone willing to keep them in French Polynesia.

Owners use it when they come and for the rest of the year, Sail Tahiti manages, charters and maintains it until the owners are back. And it works. We’ve sold at least 10 Excess catamarans in French Polynesia. For his first Excess 11, David took it from the shipyard in Les Sables-d’Olonne (on France’s west coast) and sailed it himself for three months to Tahiti.

The Excess 15 is the young brand’s flagship; Photo: Christophe Launay

What’s needed to increase the popularity of Excess in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, where Lagoon has been the leading catamaran brand for so long?

Groupe Beneteau created Excess because they realised the catamaran market was segmented into performance cats, like Outremer, HH and so on, and cruisers like Lagoon, but there was really nothing in the middle.

At a lot of boat shows, they heard on the pontoons that a lot of people weren’t willing to transition from a monohull to a catamaran because they didn’t want to give up on the sensations of sailing. So, they created Excess, which sits in the middle between performance and cruisers. You still have the comfort and the volume, but you also have a boat that sails well.

What do owners coming from monohulls want? They want helm stations at the back because they want to be right next to the water, have good vision of the sails and be directly connected to the rudders, so they can feel the water on their hands when they’re helming. This is what Excess offers.

There’s no flybridge on Excess, which makes the boat sportier looking, gives owners great access to the boom and the sails, and makes the boat lighter.

The Excess 11 is the brand’s popular entry model

Excess is not a performance cat, but it’s a bit faster than Lagoon and lighter, so will take off more easily in light winds. In five knots, you can start sailing. Owners then have everything they want. The family’s happy, they finally sail flat, everybody has their own room and privacy, as well as volume and comfort.

This is why we never have clients considering one or the other because the helm stations at the back and no flybridge is a ‘no’ for some people or appealing to others. In fact, we compared the data of people visiting Lagoon and Excess stands during boat shows, and only 10 per cent of people visited both, which means we have two different target audiences. Excess cats are very much for monohull sailors looking for similar sensations.

After the Excess 12 and 15 featured bridge decks and inner hulls from the Lagoon 40 and 52, the 11 and then 14 were all-new. Why is the brand’s management most excited about the Excess 14 (Review, Issue 68)?

I think we finally found our DNA. We’ve been looking for the Excess identity since 2019. The 12 and 15 were a good introduction, but not different enough from existing cats. With the 11, we started to feel something from the market. We’ve now sold over 250 units already, with a well-specced model costing about €400,000.

The new Excess 14 has helped the brand distinguish itself

Now, with the Excess 14 (click for Review), we went a step further in finding that DNA. It’s a sporty looking boat with those slightly aggressive lines. It’s innovative, very clever but simple, because sailors like simple boats that are easy to sail and maintain. We have an amazing naval architect, Herve Piveteau, who came up with all this, with the help of VPLP (Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prévost).

The Excess 14 is already a big commercial success and we’re sold out until the end of 2024. And from 2025, Excess is going to be able to build 250 boats a year, which will put it on the podium with the biggest catamaran brands.

www.cata-lagoon.com

www.excess-catamarans.com

The post Guillaume Andrebe: Leading the cat charge in Asia appeared first on Yacht Style.

I’ve noticed each market is quite specific. I went to this year’s Japan International Boat Show in Yokohama and found that the way owners use their boats there is completely different from how boats are used in Hong Kong, mainland China or Singapore.

The Japanese clients, for example, don’t use their boats as much as they’re used in Hong Kong. It’s more of a social status in Japan, whereas in Hong Kong, it’s really something you use for the weekend or for day trips. It’s interesting to see these differences, whereas in Europe, it’s a different usage of the boat. These cultural differences are new to me, so it’s very interesting.

Tertrais in Japan with Prestige Brand Director Erwin Bamps and Yamaha Marine

However, the demands from our customers are similar. Most are looking for quality time on the water with their family and friends, and for more volume and space rather than speed. If we asked people a decade ago what they wanted, they would have said ‘a fast boat to go from A to B and back’.

Which are Prestige’s biggest markets in Asia?

Hong Kong is number one. Japan is picking up the pace and other markets are growing. We’ve talked a lot about Thailand, where a lot of Russian clients have come back and Chinese are visiting again. There is money all around the region such as in Indonesia and Malaysia, while the Philippines is a big market, especially for the new M-Line of multihull motor yachts.

But Hong Kong is our main market today and the F-Line of flybridges is the best seller, especially the 520. That’s our best-selling model worldwide and that’s also reflected in Asia. We see a demand for the X-Line as well. It has only been introduced in Asia quite recently, but the X-Line is becoming a trend as we’ve seen in the European market.

Tertrais at the China International Boat Show in Shanghai

Meanwhile, there’s growing interest in the M-Line worldwide and there have already been 30-plus retail orders for the M48, which is a good start for a yacht launched at the Cannes Yachting Festival last September. And with the announcement of the M8, everyone is getting excited about these models and it’s a trend we’re going to see across Asia, such as in Hong Kong, Philippines, Japan and so on.

Asia Yachting represents Prestige in Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines, so what have you learnt from their team about these markets?

Most of the owners in these markets have crew, so it’s a different way of using the boat. In terms of layout options, the designs of the boats differ when someone uses the boat with a full crew. A Seakeeper stabiliser and air-conditioning are common options, so these are also things to consider when creating models to cover these markets.

Prestige 690 Swarovski Edition

Perceived quality is very important in Asia, which is why we partnered with Swarovski on the Prestige 690. The Prestige 690 Swarovski Edition is already on its way to Asia.

How closely are you cooperating with Asia Yachting?

Working closely with our dealers in all their markets is key to making sure our brand is well represented. I was talking about the Philippines with the M-Line. That’s a key market for us so we’re working closely with Asia Yachting to understand how we can build our presence there with the M-Line. Thailand is also picking up.

Asia Yachting is an expert on the yachting industry in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, so we want to build that partnership to have a presence for Prestige in those key markets. Event wise, they are a true partner and regularly host Prestige events. In November, we host the Prestige Exclusive Days at our shipyard in France and we’ll do it in Beaulieu-sur-Mer in August with some sea trials, so we want to increase those events.

Tertrais and Bamps with Asia Yachting at the Prestige Exclusive Day in Hong Kong

Asia Yachting has hosted the first official Prestige Exclusive Days outside of France, so the idea is to spread these throughout the world in the US, for example, but also hopefully one day in the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and so on. They’re a true partner to help us grow our visibility and our branding across the region.

What has been the reaction to the X-Line in Asia, where the region’s first X70 arrived in Hong Kong in late 2021?

There has been an excellent response and I believe it will be even better for the X60, with the first model in Asia potentially arriving in Hong Kong late summer. We had an X70 handover in December and we had 15-20 people on the boat having a good time, and that’s how owners here like to use their boats, so the X-Line is right on point.

Prestige X60

You don’t see the volumes on the X-Line models on other brands. That’s what yacht owners in Asia are looking for because when they go boating, they don’t go by themselves. They’re going with the full family, with some friends or even some business partners, and they’re looking for those volumes.

What about the M-Line, the brand’s entry into the multihull market?

The M-Line is a step further. The boats have been designed from scratch as powercats, to offer unprecedented space and experiences for guests and the owner, including what we call an owner’s suite, because that’s really what it is.

Today, many of our competitors in the multihull motor yacht market are coming from sailing catamarans. We don’t have the same constraints, so we manage to offer unrivalled spaces for a new way of experiencing the sea. The design of our M8, for instance, is based on a perfect technical platform to meet four pillars: comfort, conscious luxury, environmental awareness and natural stability.

Prestige M48

I think the M48 is going to be well received in Asia and when we talk to Asia Yachting, it’s clear that’s what their customers are asking for: huge volumes and comfort on board. And that’s the feedback we got from all over the world but especially Asia.

Do you think Prestige surprised its competitors by moving into multihulls?

I think it was a surprise for them. I think we may have surprised them with our timing and if you look at Boot Dusseldorf this year, Prestige was the only exhibitor in Hall 6 (for luxury yachts) with a powercat.

However, I think if we meet in two years or three years, other brands could have power cats. We created a boat that interests a lot of owners of monohulls, multihulls and sailing boats, as well as first-time boat owners.

Prestige M48

It feels like there’s a trend and a lot of companies are talking about it, but for now, we’re going to distribute the boat everywhere. The first one in Asia will be in Hong Kong by the end of this year or early 2024, there will be one at the Japan International Boat Show in Yokohama in March 2024, one in Australia for the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May 2024 and so on.

As a brand, we’ve ensured that the first 15 units are dedicated to visibility around the world, to cover the main markets and main boat shows.

What about the M8 model in build at Groupe Beneteau Italia in Monfalcone and the most expensive Prestige model to date?

The M8 is coming with a new dimension of comfort. It’s a high-end catamaran representing a new generation, linking comfort and luxury with luminous spaces. It’s going to put Prestige and the M-Line on another level. We’re not talking to the same customers; instead, we’re talking to superyacht owners that want more stability and efficiency.

Prestige M8

On the finishing, the materials, the layout, the furniture, we’re putting the M8 on the level we want to put the brand to be able to talk to those customers, who are owners of 80-90ft superyachts that want to feel the same volume, but in a more compact platform. That’s what the M8 is about.

The debut of the M8 will be at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2023. It will be hull two and will feature a ‘silent mode’ due to the use of solar panels, so you don’t have to use the generator. Hull one is for the US.

So, Prestige believes multihull motor yachts are here to stay?

When you look at the advantages multihulls bring – efficiency, comfort and stability, and space – that’s everything our yachting customers are looking for today. They’re looking for those key points when they’re purchasing a boat and the M-Line power catamarans are ticking all the boxes. It’s a trend we’ve seen for the past few years, it’s going to grow and it’s going to stay.

Asia Yachting Open Day

Hong Kong and some Southeast Asia markets have a bias towards Italian and British motor yacht builders, especially in the 50-100ft motor yacht market. Although Prestige has done very well in the 40-70ft segment, does the brand have to upgrade its image to remain a leader in this sector?

Today, Prestige is the leading brand for 40-60ft flybridge motor yachts, but we have a demand for a higher level of finish and bigger sizes and volumes. The X-Line answers this demand in the 60-70ft segment, but as we look to keep leading the 40-60ft flybridge market, we’re developing the F-Line to ensure we continue to answer all the needs of our clients and future owners within the 40-80ft range.

www.prestige-yachts.com

www.asiayachting.net

The post Tanguy Tertrais: M-Line expands Prestige options appeared first on Yacht Style.

The area’s climate makes it an ideal location for yachting, with steady winds, warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine throughout the year. Furthermore, with sophisticated marinas and world-class yacht clubs, Singapore and its neighbouring states are quickly becoming a hub for yachting enthusiasts from around the region.

Hong Seh concluded 2022 with the Ferretti Beach Out

EXCITING ARRIVALS

Last year was incredible for large boat deliveries in Singapore, with over 10 superyachts ranging from 28-44m delivered into the city. We’re proud to say that Hong Seh accounted for five of those including a Custom Line Navetta 30, the brand’s first new build sold into the city.

The sales of these superyachts coincide with the number of family offices that have now moved to Singapore. Furthermore, with the presence of these larger yachts, there has been a growing demand for professional yacht management services in Singapore that weren’t needed for smaller boats.

Riva Rivamare

As Singapore’s exclusive dealer for Ferretti Yachts, Riva and Pershing from Italy’s Ferretti Group, Hong Seh Yachting is now looking forward to delivering two iconic, luxury boats to clients in Singapore – a Rivamare and a wallypower58. With their sleek designs and state-of-the-art features, they offer exceptional comfort and luxury to their owners.

A stalwart of Riva’s iconic Open series, the Rivamare is a 39ft yacht which has been meticulously crafted to offer opulent living quarters, with stylish interiors and a spacious deck.

Wally’s wallypower 58

On the other hand, the wallypower58 boasts an innovative design that optimises space and performance. These Riva and Wally models are exceptional boats that are sure to impress anyone who enjoys the finer things in life.

EVENTS GALORE

The recent Singapore Yachting Festival showcased the latest and greatest in yachting technology, equipment and accessories.

Hong Seh hosted a Ferretti Yachts 500 open day in February

The four-day event provided an opportunity for visitors to get up close and personal with a range of stunning yachts and boats, and to learn more about the various aspects of yachting.

Featuring seminars, demonstrations and exhibitions from leading experts within the yachting industry, the Festival offered a wealth of information for both experienced yachtsmen and those new to boating.

Hong Seh Yachting and Ferretti Group at Singapore Yachting Festival

Our display at the Singapore Yachting Festival included the Asia debut of the Ferretti Yachts 860 – the brand’s third-largest model – a Ferretti Yachts 780, Ferretti Yachts 720 and a Ferretti Yachts 500. It was great to spend several days with friends from Ferretti Group in Italy and the Ferretti Group Asia Pacific office in Hong Kong, who all flew in for the event.

We also displayed a Schaefer V33 from Brazil and a Zodiac Medline 6.8 RIB from France, as we also represent Sunreef, Boston Whaler, Schaefer and Zodiac under Hong Seh Marine.

Four Ferretti Yachts models at the Singapore Yachting Festival

Earlier in the year, Singapore’s first SailGP marked a significant milestone in the nation’s history of sailing. The event brought the world’s top sailors and teams to Singapore to compete in thrilling races aboard high-performance F50 catamarans.

The event showcased Singapore’s ability to host world-class sporting events, with state-of-the-art facilities and stunning views of the city skyline providing a perfect backdrop for the races. There were a fleet of 80-100 boats out on the water to view the F50s, a spectacle in itself.

SailGP in Singapore

Soon after, this year’s edition of the Neptune Regatta again started at Nongsa Point Marina on the Indonesian island of Batam, an hour’s ferry ride southeast of Singapore, with participants sailing to the equator.

The regatta attracts participants from the local community as well as international sailors. The competition features several categories, including cruising and racing divisions, and includes both power and sail vessels.

ONE°15 Marina Nirup Island

There’s plenty more to look out for south of Singapore, with the highly anticipated marina on Nirup Island set to open its doors to the public in the middle of the year. Even closer to Singapore than Batam is, the small Indonesian island is surrounded by coral reefs and clear blue water, and will feature luxurious resort accommodation and a host of yachting amenities.

As the countdown to its opening continues, expectations remain high, and boaters are already eagerly awaiting the chance to experience Nirup Island for themselves.

SINGAPORE SAILING

And there’s more to look forward to. Hong Seh recently became a sponsor of the 35-strong Singapore Sailing Team (click for article), whose competitions include the SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in May and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China from September 23-October 8.

Hong Seh with the Singapore Sailing Team

Our sponsorship also covers the Paris 2024 Olympics in France, where the sailing competition will be held in Marseille from July 28-August 8.

Hong Seh’s representation of Sunreef since last year marked the company’s entry into sailing and power catamarans including solar-electric Eco models, so this sponsorship echoed our growing commitment to the sailing community.

Edward Tan receives a Singapore Sailing Federation jacket

Edward Tan, Executive Director of Hong Seh Group, presented a cheque for SG$70,000 to the Singapore Sailing Federation in April. Asian Games gold medallists Cecilia Low and Kimberly Lim, who aim to defend their 49erFX title at the Hangzhou Asian Games, were among over 30 athletes, coaches, Executive Board members and senior management attending the cheque presentation.

The sponsorship will help cover costs for uniforms, technical and competition apparel

for the sailors, coaches and support staff. The Federation even presented Edward with an official Singapore Sailing jacket featuring the Hong Seh logo on the right sleeve.

DELLA PEARCE

Della Pearce (second left) and Hong Seh colleagues

Pearce is Director of both Hong Seh Yachting, which represents Ferretti Yachts, Riva and Pershing, and Hong Seh Marine, representing Sunreef, Boston Whaler, Schaefer and Zodiac, while the company’s services include yacht management, chartering, maintenance and brokerage. She entered the industry in 2005, mentored by Scott Walker of Asia Pacific Superyachts Singapore, and apprenticed at a marina, assisting with RYA sailing courses before graduating from Singapore Maritime Academy. From 2011, she worked for Simpson Marine in Singapore and Hainan before joining Hong Seh in 2016.

dellarugdee@hongseh.com.sg / www.hongsehmarine.com.sg

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As Simpson Marine heads towards the milestone of 40 years of business operations in Asia, the company is now pursuing a new strategic direction, with Mike Simpson actively preparing for his well-deserved retirement while ensuring the company’s passage into the coming decades of success and expansion.

Established in 1984 in Hong Kong by Mike Simpson and progressively expanding over Asia with 11 offices in seven markets including Hong Kong (HQ), mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore (SEA HQ), Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, Simpson Marine has become synonymous with the highest standards of business practices in the yachting industry in Asia-Pacific.

With over 3,500 yachts sold in Asia, a team of 140 professionals and an integrated business model including sales of new yachts and superyachts, yacht brokerage, charter, yacht management, service, water toys and tenders along with a new sailing academy in Thailand, Simpson Marine Group has become the reference for yachting across the region. Simpson Marine often serves as an exemplary case study to regional governments seeking advice and guidance in their maritime expansion.

Over the years, Simpson Marine has represented some of the world’s leading yachting brands, with its present portfolio including Sanlorenzo, Bluegame, Beneteau, Lagoon, Fairline, Aquila and Highfield. The Simpson Marine team played a crucial role in establishing the Sanlorenzo brand in Asia after a strategic portfolio evolution from Azimut to Sanlorenzo back in 2015.

Since then, Simpson Marine’s Sanlorenzo Asia division has welcomed nearly 70 Sanlorenzo yachts and superyachts of all sizes and ranges into Asia. The 10 arrivals in February and March 2023 alone are a testament to the growing success of the brand within Asia.

Simpson Marine has about 140 employees across Asia

The Asian market has been extremely receptive to Sanlorenzo’s brand values and world-class offering of unique, bespoke and custom-built yachts. Many other factors have had strong appeal to local clientele, including the shipyard’s commitment to sustainable yachting through its constant research into green propulsion and sustainable materials, and its intrinsic commitment to art.

With an understanding of the tremendous potential of yachting in the Asia-Pacific, Sanlorenzo is formally considering a strategic investment into Simpson Marine Group, which would further strengthen its presence and footprint in the region.

A non-binding MOU between Mike Simpson, Simpson Marine founder and Managing Director, and Massimo Perotti, Sanlorenzo SpA Chairman, was signed in early April 2023. A further study on this potential investment is currently ongoing and will be completed over the next few months.

The long relationship between Mike Simpson and Massimo Perotti dates to 1986 when Simpson Marine took on the dealership of Azimut in Asia. At the time Perotti was working for Azimut in Italy under the leadership of its then-Chairman Paolo Vitelli and eventually became Managing Director of the Azimut Group. He collaborated closely with Mike on the growth of Azimut in Asia through Simpson Marine until leaving Azimut in 2004.

In 2005, Perotti acquired Sanlorenzo from Giovanni Jannetti and since then he has led the company through a dramatic transformation from €40 million of revenue with 75 employees to become a leading yacht and superyacht builder with more than 700 employees and nearly €1 billion of revenue logged for the coming year.

Massimo Perotti, Chairman of Sanlorenzo

Having focused on the company evolution in its first 10 years, Perotti approached Mike Simpson in early 2014 regarding a potential representation of Sanlorenzo in Asia by Simpson Marine. This meant a strategic change of Simpson Marine’s brand portfolio and de facto parting ways with their historic partner, the Azimut-Benetti Group.

Both Sanlorenzo and Simpson Marine were also linked by a strategic investment from the Chinese investor Sundiro, which took a minority stake at Sanlorenzo and Simpson Marine and was due to take a majority stake of Simpson Marine in pursuit of their vision of exponential growth of yachting operations (sales, services and infrastructure) in China and Asia.

The Sundiro investment into Simpson Marine wasn’t completed due to external reasons, and Sanlorenzo later bought back their shares from Sundiro in 2019. Despite this turn of events, the link between Simpson Marine and Sanlorenzo has become a strong one and this relationship has resulted in the spectacular success of the Sanlorenzo brand in Asia, with the region accounting for up to 23 per cent of the shipyard’s revenues in the past years.

Simpson Marine’s priority is always its customers. While the discussions between the companies are underway, it is business as usual and Simpson Marine’s engagement with all partner shipyards remains strong.

Likewise, its commitment to the customers and yacht owners purchasing yachts of all brands remains unchanged. All Simpson Marine customers can be guaranteed of the company’s standard market-leading service they are accustomed to. Both parties will continue to communicate as discussions progress.

www.simpsonmarine.com

The post Simpson Marine statement on potential Sanlorenzo acquisition appeared first on Yacht Style.

In recent months, Asiamarine was appointed to manage Galeon Asia – overseeing a dealer network in nine countries beyond its core territories of Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand – before being announced as the dealer for Nautor Swan and Silent-Yachts in multiple markets. No wonder the company’s annual party at Chinese New Year looked so much fun.

Asiamarine’s Chinese New Year party at Aberdeen Marina Club

As excited as CEO Eric Noyel is about both new brands and moving into new sectors of the yachting market, he’s clear that motor yacht powerhouse Galeon remains Asiamarine’s flagship brand, as it has been since 2016, when the builder also started to be represented by MarineMax in the US.

Meanwhile, Asiamarine’s sales of Bali sailing catamarans and Nimbus day boats have been solid since the brands joined the dealership’s widening portfolio in mid-2020 and late 2021 respectively.

Benjamin Tabuteau (right) and colleagues at Asiamarine Thailand

“Galeon remains our anchor brand, followed by Bali and Nimbus, while Swan and Silent are complementary because they’re focused on different but growing segments,” says Noyel, who founded Asiamarine in March 2013. “However, Galeon still feels very new and there are still many markets around the region to break into.”

EXPANDING TERRITORY

For starters, Asiamarine sold and delivered its first Galeon in the Philippines last year, with the 460 Fly followed by a 325 GTO later in the year. Thailand welcomed its first 500 Fly, Galeon’s iconic ‘transformer’ model that made the brand a household name, while Singapore welcomed its first new 500 Fly in late 2021.

Asiamarine showcases Galeon yachts in Hong Kong

Recently, the first new Galeon bought in Taiwan, again a 500 Fly, was sold by a new dealer appointed under Galeon Asia, which is managed by Vietnam-based Michel Joly, Asiamarine’s Regional Dealership Manager.

To date, Asiamarine has sold over 60 Galeon yachts into the region, including a 640 Fly in Hong Kong. Noyel believes the current network of satisfied clients, primarily in Hong Kong, are creating a widening circle of influence that he believes will be replicated in other markets.

“Galeon has been focusing on quality and innovation, and it’s paying off. Compared to some very famous brands from Italy and the UK, Galeon is still a new name in Asia, but now there are enough clients who have shown they’re happy to buy a Galeon motor yacht from Poland,” he says.

A Galeon 640 Fly (left) in Hong Kong

“Once you have a few owners and role models who own Galeon boats, then people tend to follow. We have some really good, reliable, trustworthy clients who have their circle of influence and so the brand is growing gradually. People who have been on board a Galeon know the quality, so I think most of the groundbreaking has been done.”

Galeon has collaborated with UK-based Tony Castro Yacht Design for over two decades and is best known for its iconic ‘beach mode’ models popularised by the 500 Fly and its drop-down wings, waterside bar and transformable outdoor areas. It was followed by the 460 Fly, 640 Fly, 400 Fly, the 440 Fly last year and the 560 Fly that debuted at this year’s Miami International Boat Show.

However, Noyel is most excited about the brand’s new flagship, the 800 Fly, which debuted at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last October. The Frenchman has been aboard and believes the Category A boat would make a strong impression in Asia.

Galeon’s new flagship 800 Fly

“The boat is massive, and the quality of the interior styling has gone up a lot. It’s a really nicely executed 83ft yacht and competitively priced. It’s also a Category A boat, so you can take it offshore, which makes it stand out from most of the competition in that size range,” says Noyel, who believes the model is priced at least 20 per cent below competitors.

“It’s a great boat for Asia and a very good first ‘regional’ model for someone who wants a longer range and to explore other countries. It’s in a size sector where other brands have a long history, so I’d like to have a first one here to show the difference. Once we have one, it can show its own merits, which are plenty. I think the first one in Asia will be very appealing.”

GALEON, NIMBUS DAY BOATS

At the other end of the size scale, Galeon is growing its GTO range of Grand Touring Outboards, which started in early 2021 with the 325 GTO, a model sold in Hong Kong later that year by Asiamarine Yacht Broker Candy Li, while last year units were delivered to the Philippines and Singapore.

Galeon’s new 375 GTO Fly

Last year the builder launched the powerful 375 GTO, which has not one but two side decks and is a fun-packed, transformer day boat, with flexible, multi-functional furniture again a dominant theme.

“The 375 GTO is interesting because it has balconies on both sides, so that really extends the platform. It’s only 5ft longer than the 325 GTO, but it feels like a much bigger boat, substantially bigger,” Noyel says.

“Now that we have the 325 GTO in Hong Kong, Philippines and Singapore, this style of fun day boat is starting to gain traction. However, I think these models may have more appeal in Southeast Asia than in Hong Kong, where there’s still a strong preference for flybridge models.”

Nimbus T11 in Hong Kong

Noyel echoes this sentiment for the range of boats from Nimbus, which it represents in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The historic Swedish builder was founded in 1968 and its lines include Tender (T8, T9, T11), Commuter (C8, C9, C11) and Day Cruisers including the 305 Drophead, Weekender 9 (W9) and the Weekender 11 (W11) due to launch this year.

Nimbus’s portfolio is headed by its Coupé Cruisers including the 305, 365 and 405 Coupé models, 405 Flybridge and flagship 465 Coupé – also a flybridge model – due to launch in 2024. Asiamarine’s Singapore office recently sold a T9 X-edition, the company’s first sale of an X-edition model.

A Nimbus T9 X-edition was sold in Singapore

“It’s the same for Nimbus as it is for Galeon’s GTO range, as we see them growing in popularity in Southeast Asia. We’ve sold all our models in Singapore, all our models in Thailand, but it has been slow in Hong Kong. I think people who buy those boats in Hong Kong are younger and probably go for more ‘show off’ brands, which have a similar boat with a bit less quality but more colourful paint!”

FROM BALI TO ASIA

Bali represented Asiamarine’s entry into the world of catamarans and the dealer has sold over a dozen units to date, a decent return considering its first order arrived in late 2020.

Bali catamarans at the Asiamarine show at Marina Cove

The entry-level Catspace, which debuted at Boot Dusseldorf in January 2020, is the brand’s best-selling model in Asia followed by the flagship 5.4 and the 4.2, with the dealer recently hosting an Open Day (click for article).

To celebrate a landmark birthday, Noyel commissioned his own customised 4.8, Happy Fifty, featuring Minotti upholstery and furniture, and a hard top, using it in the Med before bringing it to Hong Kong. As with Galeon, Asiamarine is still entering new markets with the brand, with the first unit in Singapore, a Catspace, arriving in late 2021 and the first sale to Thailand arriving in the past year.

Asiamarine staff at the Bali 4.2 Open Day in April

However, it has been tough for Bali to keep producing boats as fast as it sells them, with the French shipyard among many doing their best to keep up with orders in the Covid era.

Olivier Poncin only founded the leisure cat brand in 2014 as an offshoot of his Catana Group, yet the brand soon gained attention because of pioneering features like the signature ‘Bali door’, a full flybridge on smaller models, a forward saloon door and solid foredecks.

Following the release of the flagship 5.4, the company quickly unveiled five new models within two years from 2020. The Catspace, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6 and 4.8 cover a core size range from 40-48ft and huge sales of each model have positioned the brand as a genuine competitor to long-established market leaders like Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot and Leopard.

Asiamarine broker Jacqueline Lee (left) at the Bali 4.2 Open Day

“Bali has had rapid growth. Five or so years ago, it was making only a couple of dozen boats a year, so it has been quite a transformation, while logistics and supply-chain issues have also not helped. We’ve had some delays in deliveries, but the sales have gone up nicely,” says Noyel, who is eagerly awaiting the brand’s full-scale release of its power catamarans, another sector he believes is growing significantly.

SAILING WITH SWAN

Following its moves into catamarans with Bali and day boats with Nimbus, Asiamarine has moved into the world of sailing monohulls with Swan, one of the industry’s most iconic brands.

Asiamarine’s appointment as the brand’s representative in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam followed its appointment in mid-2022 as the dealer for the Swan Shadow, the first motor yacht produced by the builder since it was founded in Finland in 1966.

The Swan 48 by German Frers is the Finnish brand’s entry model

The appointment came in time for Asiamarine staff to attend this year’s edition of Boot Dusseldorf, where Nautor Swan debuted the Swan 48 MKII and announced details of the upcoming ClubSwan 43, a cruising-friendly addition to the builder’s range of one-design racing yachts.

Noyel, who grew up sailing in the south of France, is excited about the potential of the premium brand, which builds sailing monohulls across three series: Swan Yachts (Swan 48-Swan 78), Maxi Swan Yachts (Swan 88-Swan 128) and ClubSwan Yachts (ClubSwan 36-ClubSwan 125).

“My hopes for Swan are huge. Firstly, because I think the sailing market is coming back to life very strongly. The ratio of sailing yachts versus motor yachts has increased for the first time in over a decade and that applies across all sizes including superyachts, which we know through Fraser,” he says.

The Shadow is Swan’s first motor yacht

“Secondly, the Swan brand has an immense following among experienced sailors in Asia who know it from its international reputation. Swan has been a bit quiet in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, but I anticipate the brand will catch up in two to three years.

“It will take time to build momentum as it requires an investment on our side in getting people to experience the brand, explaining why it’s different and building on the large number of people who know the brand in mature sailing markets, which includes Hong Kong.”

THE SILENT ERA

As if that wasn’t enough, Asiamarine is also taking its first steps representing Silent-Yachts in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

Founded by Austrian Michael Köhler, the builder is a pioneer of solar-electric powercats and is currently producing its new range of Silent 60, 62 3-Deck, 80 and 80 3-Deck models across its own facility in Fano on Italy’s east coast and in Turkey’s VisionF shipyard, where the flagship Silent 120 is also in build.

Silent 60 in Mallorca

The first few units of the Silent 60 were built in Thailand and have been delivered to Europe and the US, and although other builders have moved or are moving into the sector, Asia is still awaiting its first solar-electric catamaran. That is until 2024, when Noyel says the first Silent 62 3-Deck will be delivered to this region.

“I think solar-electric powercats are going to be very much in demand so in anticipation of that, we wanted to work with Silent-Yachts,” he says. “Like Swan, it’s brand-new for us and still in the ‘cooking’ stage. We only started a couple of months ago, but we have a lot of leads of our own and from Silent Yachts. People are curious and the interest is there.”

Following the initial builds of the Silent 60, almost all subsequent orders of the 60 series are for the 62 3-Deck, which – like the 80 3-Deck – offers a full flybridge in either an open or enclosed version.

The Silent 62 3-Deck has a larger flybridge

While Noyel is confident of the appeal of solar-electric propulsion, a 60ft flybridge catamaran is a significant ‘starter model’ for a market such as Hong Kong where wide-beamed catamarans of that size are still a minority. Furthermore, the starting price can appear quite steep, although Noyel says they’re “worth every penny” due to the almost total absence of fuel costs and reduced maintenance.

“I think solar-electric yachts have a good future, but 60ft and 80ft catamarans are still quite big for Hong Kong marinas. Technically, I think Silent-Yachts is producing the most advanced solar-electric propulsion system, although it might be interesting to discuss working with an interior designer to customise models for the local market.”

FRASER REVIVAL IN ASIA

Asiamarine has represented Fraser since 2018 and has secured an average of three to four annual sales of superyachts during its best years. However, Noyel admits that 2022 was tough, but also that Fraser Asia has started the new year strongly, as people in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia welcome an almost total relaxation of travel restrictions.

Adam Blackmore of Fraser Asia sold the 38m Sanlorenzo Phoenix

“We’ve done as much business in Fraser in the first couple of months of this year than we did all of last year,” Noyel laughs. “For us, it’s still a very volatile market, which depends on a small number of very big deals. The superyacht business feeds off our regular new build, brokerage and charter businesses, and is what I call our ‘bonus business’.”

As well as being CEO of Asiamarine, Noyel is Managing Director of Fraser Asia, whose sales have been spearheaded by Adam Blackmore, Asiamarine’s Commercial Director and a Sales Broker for Fraser since 2018. Recent sales by Blackmore include the 38m Sanlorenzo SD122 Phoenix, sold to the Middle East (click for article).

Benjamin Tabuteau of Fraser Asia sold the 86ft Sunseeker Maxxx

Noyel is delighted that more Asiamarine staff have recently become qualified Sales Brokers for Fraser including Phuket-based Benjamin Tabuteau, General Manager of Asiamarine’s Thailand operation, who last year secured his first superyacht sale, the 86ft Sunseeker Maxxx.

Raphael Sachs, Asiamarine’s Bangkok-based Regional VP Sales New Boats, is also a registered Sales Broker for Fraser.

“It really helps to have a team of Sales Brokers for Fraser, while all our other Asiamarine staff can help them when they have a lead or yacht to sell,” Noyel says. “Now, we’re better integrated into the Fraser network, use their resources more, and are increasingly interacting with other Fraser offices and brokers.

Blackmore (second row) and colleagues at the Fraser beach clean-up in Hong Kong

“For example, if we have a client in Asia who wants to buy a yacht in Europe, but they want to deal with a Monaco or Florida broker, then we help ensure they deal with a Monaco or Florida broker. These dynamics are growing nicely.”

Noyel says the strong start to 2023 for Fraser Asia extends to its charter business, which had been almost non-existent in Southeast Asia during a couple of years of strict travel restrictions in the region.

Laura Verbrugge, who has been with the company since January 2018, and Sum Lo are Charter Brokers for Asiamarine in Hong Kong, while Verbrugge is also a Charter Broker for Fraser.

Asiamarine staff at Club Marina Cove

“A very positive development is the resumption of international charter, which had disappeared for many of our clients,” says Noyel, whose Fraser clients target the Mediterranean and Caribbean as much as Asia-Pacific. “We did more charter bookings in January and February this year than we did across 2021 and 2022!”

If its start to the Year of the Rabbit is any indication, Asiamarine has a lot to look forward to in its second decade.

www.asiamarine.com

Note: The original article appeared in YACHT STYLE Issue 70

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We know that the brand and the product range should sell in Hong Kong. It’s just a case of developing that relationship with VP Yachts and trying to get some product there. We find that if we put Pearl yachts in any established boating market, it snowballs.

Getting the first one there is always the most difficult thing. We’re sold out for a year or so, so we need to see how we can get a boat there or at least display one en route to somewhere else. Once we show one to local clients, we know we can grow the market.

Smallridge with Vivian Chan of VP Yachts, which represents Pearl in Hong Kong

Why did Pearl create the tagline ‘Boutique Yacht Builder – Since 1998’?

Boutique yacht builder sums us up, as we produce a small volume of high-quality yachts. In 2023, we’ll deliver 12 units between 60-100ft, we’ll do 15 in 2024 and then we’ve scheduled 18 in 2025. We’re increasing volume but incrementally. We’re not going to be building hundreds of boats a year, but we’d like to build a handful of high-quality yachts each year in specific markets around the world.

Our key markets are currently Europe and the US, and it’s about a 50-50 split. We’ve just started in Australia and are looking to develop in the Middle East and Far East. They’re really the key markets.

Like all Pearl models, the 62 features a Bill Dixon exterior

Our current model range starts with the Pearl 62, which has been very popular since we launched it at Boot Dusseldorf in 2020. We just sold hull number 23 in January, so it has been a popular model.

Bill Dixon handles all your exterior design, while Pearl is the only production yacht builder to feature interiors with Kelly Hoppen, who has designed the homes, yachts and jets of many famous clients that have included David and Victoria Beckham. How did a ‘boutique yacht builder’ secure such A-list designers?

We’ve worked with Bill Dixon for about two decades, after Pearl’s current owners took over. Bill is one of the world’s most respected yacht designers and Dixon Yacht Design handles all the exteriors and naval architecture of our yachts, so the handling of our boats is one of our key attractions.

Pearl 62 with Luxury interior by Kelly Hoppen MBE

Kelly gives us spectacular interiors. Like Bill, she’s also from the UK and has made her name as a celebrity designer, working with a lot of celebrities on their residential properties and second homes.

She did a couple of superyachts before we commissioned her about a decade ago. In the yachting field, she now designs exclusively for Pearl and has done the interiors of all our models from the Pearl 75 onwards.

Master suite on the Pearl 72

We started working with Kelly as I thought we needed something different. Before that, the boat industry tended to have variations of the same theme. We went through the high-gloss cherry wood and cream leather phase that every boat builder did for 10 years. Then everybody went to satin walnut and cream carpets, and there was too much of that.

Back then, having an interior designer was seen as quite opulent and a bit nouveau riche, but we asked Kelly to give us a different angle and we’ve become renowned for spectacular interiors. We now have three different styles called Modern, Luxury and Indulgence. The customer can choose any of those schemes in any of our boat models.

Saloon on the Pearl 95

So, you can have Indulgence in the 62 and Luxury in the 95, for instance. Gone are the days when a client must sit down at a boardroom table with 1,000s of samples of materials, which a customer doesn’t really enjoy. The shipyard doesn’t enjoy it. You either end up with exactly what you saw at the boat show or a bit of a mishmash.

This way, the customers get the expertise of a designer interior, but they still have a choice. If they don’t want a light wood interior, there’s an option for a dark wood; if they don’t want a dark wood, there’s an option for a two-tone.

Master suite in the Pearl 95

We find it works well and most customers like the fact that they can select the boat and the interior: ‘I want that boat with that interior’. It’s one of the things we’ve become renowned for.

Considering the Pearl 62’s popularity since 2020, what’s notable about the new Pearl 72, which recently had its European debut at Boot Dusseldorf following its world premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last October?

One of Pearl’s big attributes is that every new model has unique features – several elements that make it desirable.

The Pearl 62 launched the brand’s new generation of models

Compared to other models in our size ranges, Pearl is renowned for having an extra cabin, an extra feature, a beach club or a garage that nobody else does. This makes customers want to explore further. For instance, the Pearl 62 has four guest cabins plus the option of a crew cabin or a garage, which is unique in that market.

Similarly, the Pearl 72 is the only boat in its segment to have four two-berth guest cabins with en-suite bathrooms.

Pearl 72’s European debut at Boot Dusseldorf 2023

Other models of that size may include a bunk cabin or three heads, but we’ve got four full head-height double or twin cabins, all with en-suites. It also has a proper garage for a Williams SportJet 345 tender, jet-ski and Seabob; there’s no other 70-footer in our market that has a garage like that.

The 72 also has a beach club with a fold-down sofa and wings that drop down to give you extra space on the water.

Aft storage on the Pearl 72

We also have fold-down sides on the Pearl 95, while the upcoming 82 will have dropdown wings on the cockpit level, as opposed to the swim platform.

How else does Pearl differentiate itself from competitors in the very competitive 60-100ft flybridge motor yachts sector?

Apart from the interior and exterior design, and unique features, another element that sets us apart is value for money. We’ve made sure all our boats are competitively priced against competitors, so we have a percentage advantage. Everybody’s prices are up and down like a yoyo, but we’re priced 10 20 per cent less than some of our competitors’ comparable models.

The Pearl 72

There’s also service and warranty. We offer a five-year warranty, which is the industry-leading warranty. People often ask, ‘Why would I buy a Pearl?’ There’s not one thing; there are several key elements and we work hard on all those. It’s the mixture of all those elements that adds the value for the customer. We need to do things differently to pull clients away from these big brands.

You look to be going from strength to strength with the upcoming Pearl 82, set for 2024.

The 82 is actually a really good-looking raised pilothouse design. The exterior may be the hardest challenge. It’s easy to build a boat with lots of volume that looks like a brick. However, try to create an 82-footer with a raised pilothouse and five guest cabins – which nobody else has done on a boat this size – and keep it looking sleek. This comes back to Dixon Yacht Design.

The Pearl 82 will launch in 2024

Its unique features are five guest cabins on an 80-footer including a main-deck master cabin with access out to the forepeak terrace. We’ve also incorporated access to the foredeck from the flybridge, where there’s a side door. The 82 offers full access around the outdoor areas, so the owner can go down from the flybridge to the foredeck, down to the forepeak and into the master cabin, without going through the interior. It’s all part of increasing accessibility around the boat.

We’ve got everything on our 80-footer that other companies have got on 100-footers for twice the price. And it has a garage that can house a tender, jet-ski, Seabobs and so on. Again, we’re trying to give maximum value, however that’s interpreted, to give customers a real reason to come away from the bigger brands. We’re quite confident the Pearl 82 will do that in the same way the 62 and 72 have.

The Pearl 82 includes a main-deck master cabin with forepeak access

We just need to keep doing it. I laugh because we’re starting to develop the next model and at a recent meeting with Bill [Dixon], we asked ourselves, ‘Where do we go now?’ How do we keep on trumping everything that everybody else does? Bill jokes that we may have shot ourselves in the foot because we’ve done everything on the 82, so we have to think about what to do on the next, bigger model. We’ll find something; we keep coming up with ideas.

How are sales of the Pearl 95, your flagship?

We’ve recently delivered number five and number six is being built. We’re doing just over one a year. In honesty, I’d like to do more, even up to two a year. The Pearl 95 is a really good-value 30m boat with a lot of attributes, although we can’t build dozens of them because we’ve got different production lines for the other new models. Sales are consistent for that size.

The Pearl 95 remains the brand’s flagship

It has become competitive in that size range. When we launched the 95, it was quite a unique design with a beach club and main-deck master, but since then, quite a lot of our competitors have added new models, which has made it more competitive.

www.pearlyachts.com

www.vpyachtsltd.com

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